This invention relates in general to liquid sealing devices and deals more particularly with an improved device for sealing the surface of liquid stored within a container. The device is particularly adapted to provide a surface seal for a liquid of a type which has a tendency to harden at its exposed surface upon prolonged exposure to atmosphere forming a skin or relatively tough film which increases in thickness with passage of time. Such a condition is characteristic of oil base paint, for example. When the paint skin is ruptured hardened paint particles often break of and enter the remaining liquid paint to be picked up by a paint brush or roller and applied to the surface being painted.
Various sealing devices, such as temporary lids have been provided to solve the aforedescribed problem. However, when such a temporary lid is used it must be sized to pass through an opening in the container and, therefore, must have a surface area somewhat smaller than the surface area of the liquid which it is designed to cover, leaving a small area of the surrounding liquid surface exposed. When the surface of this exposed liquid dries the temporary lid adheres to the surrounding wall of the container and is difficult to remove. The present invention is concerned with this problem.
It is the general aim of the present invention to provide an improved device for temporarily sealing the surface of a liquid stored in a container to prevent hardening of the associated liquid surface. It is a further aim of the invention to provide a liquid surface sealing device and which may be easily removed from a container to facilitate access to the remaining liquid in the container.